Rod's Essays

Food for Thought

Here are some essays I have been writing under the general heading of "Food
for Thought". I have been writing them to capture some of my evolving
perspectives on the world around us. They tend to be more editorial than
documentary in nature. Most should stimulate more questions than
they give answers.

Most of these are not new ideas. They have been topics of lively discussion
and debate over the years with friends and colleagues. It is unfortunate that
most of the topics deal with issues that make us uncomfortable. "Don't Worry -
Be Happy" may be a nice song but it is a risky philosophy.

It is not important whether or not you agree with these perspectives.
What is more important is that we give thought to what is happening around
us rather than simply accepting the values we are constantly fed. Propaganda
is not limited to communist and 3rd world countries. There is probably more
in western society but it is less obvious because it comes from so many
sources and in so many guises. We are blessed with almost unlimited sources
of information but it only has value if consumed with discrimination. Beware
of "Fast Food" information - it is no better for the mind than it is for the
body!

The individual essays are formatted in a simple manner which should make
them easy to print in case you prefer to do your thoughtful reading somewhere
other than in front of a computer screen.

Here are the first entries on what I hope is a growing menu of Food for Thought.